There’s a key ingredient that goes into making Valentine’s Day extra spectacular. But its most often overlooked.
It’s not chocolate.
It’s not roses.
It’s not aphrodisiacs.
It’s not even a caring, sexy partner (although this certainly helps!!). Give up?
You know the spiel you hear every time you take flight; “In the case of an emergency, be sure to secure your own oxygen mask before assisting those around you.” Too often we – especially women – tend to make sure everyone else is well and good before we consider taking care of ourselves. But as this analogy proves, you aren’t going to be much good to anyone else if you yourself can’t function optimally. Yup, it’s self-love that I’m talking about. For whatever reason, it’s not on our radar. There aren’t enough hours in the day, we don’t think about it, or maybe we just don’t know how.
Why is this so difficult for most of us? We tend to be our own worst critics. That pesky little voice in your head is always putting you down. How do you effectively direct love toward yourself when you don’t feel like you are worth it? It’s a slippery slope. The worse you feel, the less chance there is that you will ever think about doing something nice for yourself.
Let’s stop this negativity right now! How? Baby steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day and that pedestal you are going to put yourself on wont be either! But life is about progress, not perfection. Any step in the right direction is a win! So start slow – change one habit at a time. Here is a list of rituals to incorporate that will change your life for the better:
- Start your day on the right foot. Give yourself the gift of time. Don’t live in a frantic state of disarray. Wake up each day and take the time needed to complete each task to make you feel good about your surroundings and yourself.
- Go the extra mile. Make yourself a tall glass of fruit infused water and drink up! Hydration is oh-so-important. Not to mention fruit infused water is so pretty, good for you and tastes good too.
- Thank your lucky stars. Gratitude goes a long way toward reminding yourself that your life is not so bad and you are worth a little extra effort every now and then.
- Eat clean. Nobody has ever felt regret after fueling their body with the vital nutrients it needs.
- Move more. Walk. Dance. Play a sport.
- Be in nature. Take time to notice and explore the grandeur of the gifts from Mother Nature.
- Just be. Be here now. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. But today is your present – and it is just that – a gift. Remember to slow down and enjoy it.
- Indulge a little. Allow yourself something special every so often. A decadent chocolate truffle, a massage, new shoes, etc. You are worth it!
- Nurture relationships. We as humans depend on them.
- Tune in. Recognize what you need and go for it. Don’t get caught up in what seems right or what others want or expect of you. When you nurture your own body, mind and spirit with the right amount of rest, activity, time alone, etc. that you need, you will have the energy it takes to thrive and maintain successful relationships with others, without resentment.
- Don’t dwell on past mistakes. Instead, chalk them up as learning experiences and growth opportunities.
- Keep your eye on the prize. Build a life you love. Control your own destiny. Go for it. I dare you.
Happy Valentine’s Day! XOXO.